Food, Inc., the outstanding Robert Kenner documentary about the agriculture industry, is not an easy film to watch.  It’s a brutal, horrifying look at where our food comes from and what’s in it.  Because of that, it’s an incredibly important film to watch and think about.  Be aware that there is graphic footage of slaughtering and inhumane treatment of animals.
 

Scary facts first: 80% of the beef market here in the United States is controlled by just 4 producers.  The cows that become that beef spend a good portion of their lives standing in manure, eating corn when they’re meant to be eating grass and chickens are crammed into cages so small they can’t move in warehouses always kept dark.  Corn, corn syrup, and other corn byproducts are used in more foods and products than I ever could have imagined:  from the obvious soda and ketchup to the less obvious batteries and Splenda.  Corn syrup is also apparently addictive, not that you would ever read that on a warning label.
 

Kenner organizes Food, Inc. well with clear chapters that trace the journey of food through the production chain to the grocery store or restaurant to the family who finally eats the food.  He avoids gimmicks and simply presents the facts. He has help from experts like authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), and, really Food, Inc. mostly builds on the work already done by Schlosser and Pollan. He also highlights food activists who are fighting for everything from better chicken farming practices to better prevention of food-borne diseases like E. coli.  Joel Salatin, the head farmer for Polyface Farms, is also on hand to show a happier view of farming.  He uses more traditional and humane farming techniques and his farm actually fits the image we see on most food labels, where most industrial agribusinesses can’t come remotely close.
 

Some companies, like agricultural biotechnology giant (and Agent Orange producer) Monsanto, have cried foul over their portrayal in Food, Inc., but it is made clear they refused requests to tell their side.  It is also clear that there are many issues at play here.  Yes, the largest agribusinesses have a stranglehold on the industry, but the government has allowed it with legislation (and in many cases, a lack of legislation) protecting them to an insane degree.  The demand for inexpensive food is, of course, another factor.  The overcrowded chickens with the shortened life spans or the cows hopped up on hormones standing in their own manure? That’s how you get a cheap fast food meal.
 

Unfortunately, ninety minutes is too little time to do anything but touch on the difficult issues involved in the agriculture industry.  Some of the film feels rushed, there are unanswered questions, and I was left feeling overwhelmed while still wanting much more information.  It is an excellent jumping-off point, though, and its no-nonsense approach effectively builds the case that the status quo is untenable.
 

Food, Inc. is not a guilt-trip for people who eat meat or a condemnation of farmers.  It is a thought-provoking look at what we eat, why we’re getting fatter, the conditions under which destined-for-dinner animals exist, the erosion of farmers’ way of life, food safety, and the laws protecting agribusiness at the expense of smaller, more humane  farmers.  It is also a call for us to do our own research, to pay attention to what we eat and try to learn where it comes from.  While the film makes clear that there are many powerful entities intent on keeping the status quo protected by the legislative and judicial systems, it does end with a message of hope by reminding us that we have the power to change how things are done.  We use that power every time we make a choice about what food to buy, what companies to support with our money.  Food Inc., as difficult as it is to watch, gives us knowledge and incentive to start making more informed choices.